


The Weasel Confrontation

by DreamOfStories



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Borrowed SI-oc, Conspiracies, Family, Gen, Plotting, SI-OC, Secrets, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe, Team Fluff, Trust, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 12:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5090708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamOfStories/pseuds/DreamOfStories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasuke is all set to finish things when Shikako intervenes. This causes issues. For everyone. But it's ok because it was the right thing to do. Right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Dreaming of Sunshine](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/53648) by Silver Queen. 



> I have no plan. I have no schedule. I'm not even sure at what point I'll get bored and tie it off. Chapters will be short with the majority 800-900 words, the whole thing in unlikely to ever hit 10,000 total and very very shortly I will have no time to write anything for this. Read at your own risk.
> 
> Rights and stuff for characters to Silver Queen and Kishimoto. Check out Dreaming of Sunshine if you haven't already. It'll be worth it.

Sasuke stood panting over his fallen brother. His shoulder ached from where the curse seal had activated and been subsequently destroyed. Cuts and bruises littered his body, none of them overly serious but they stung as his sweat dripped over them. At his feet, Itachi, still crying tears of blood, let out a wet sounding cough. Sasuke felt his lips curl in a grim smile of satisfaction. His old nightmare was going to be over soon. No more worrying that his powerful brother would sweep in and slaughter his new family. No more fear that there would be a day he would turn around and his team would be gone, that he would be alone again. No more looking at Shikako and seeing her unconscious and screaming in the street after she took his brother's attack for him. No more knowing that Naruto was hunted by the same man who had almost stolen everything from him...

Naruto and Shikako walked slowly towards him, their familiar chakra brushing against his own. Kakashi too, was nearby, but he kept his distance focusing on the perimeter. He wouldn't let anyone interrupt him now. He understood. Team Ten too would keep their distance. Sasuke didn't know what Shikako had said to her twin to ensure that, but they'd agreed. This... This was for his family to deal with.

"It's over, Itachi."

He clenched his fist. The feel of the hilt of his sword dug into his grip, grounding him. Finally... Finally...

Shikako ducked around him, slapped a knock out tag on his head and then ran green hands over his brother's body. Naruto let out a choked sound next to him. She was... What? Healing him?! The traitor?! Why?!

"Shikako? What are you doing?"

"Trust me, Sasuke. It's best if we bring him back alive."

He gritted his teeth. "It's Itachi!"

She glanced at him, barely taking her attention of her pati- him. Naruto made an aborted move with his left hand, before backing away and putting his hands up. Sasuke sent him a nasty glare before focusing on his teammate. Shikako was an intelligent kunoichi perfectly capable of guilt-free killing. She wasn't Naruto - the Dobe - that tried to 'save' everyone. She had a reason for everything she did. But. What reason could possibly be good enough for pulling this stunt?! Why would she want to save the person who had put her in a coma for over a month? Who still featured in her nightmares?!

"Shikako. What. The. Hell?!"

She sighed. "I have a reason. A really good reason. You... You can't kill him. Not until I've told you. I... He wants to die. At your hand. You've defeated him, you've proven that your stronger. If we bring him back to T&I they can keep him alive as they pull every tiny secret about Akatuski from him. Then he'll die, not testing his limits in combat like he wanted. He'll die in a cell, put down like... Like..."

Sasuke could see her eyes pleading at him. Begging him to trust her, that this was the best option - the right option. He barely listened to her words, but he got the gist of it. After everything, why give Itachi what he wanted? Why give him the death he'd worked for?

"If he escapes..."

"He won't."

Sasuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he let the sword slip out of his hand and stepped backwards.

"Sasuke, don't tell Team 10."

He nodded sharply and stalked away to find Kakashi. Shikako knew, she knew what this meant to him. His team understood. She wouldn't have said anything without a damn good reason for it. He would trust that her reasoning was good enough. And if it wasn't? She was right about giving him over to T&I. Itachi had taken everything away from him once, and then had threatened to take what he'd found for himself since as well. Taking away the death Itachi had plotted for himself... It was a start.

Kakashi appeared slightly behind him, customary book in hand. "We're taking him back?"

"Shikako has something to tell me. We're not telling Team 10."

"Hmm." Kakashi flipped a page over in his book, but Sasuke knew he wasn't reading it. He could feel his sensei's stare boring into his back. "What do you think?"

"I trust my teammate."

"Alright."

Behind them, Itachi's chakra vanished. Tucked away for transport in whatever manner Shikako deemed appropriate. Then there was a croak and two bursts of smoke in quick succession. Naruto. Itachi would be kept by the toads? Better than them lugging him around. "I'll tell Shikamaru."

Kakashi nodded, but stayed with him. Sasuke was glad. His goal, his aim since he was a child was fulfilled. Well, nearly. He wondered what it would have been like if things were different. If he didn't have his team. If he had reached this point alone, with nothing else left. How empty of purpose would he have felt? What would he have done?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in answer to the Sasuke stuff, I think in canon the focus was on killing Itachi to get revenge. In this DoS AU, the focus has switched to killing Itachi to prevent him destroying everything Sasuke has built since. He's also a tiny bit in shock that his teammate who to all appearances understands him completely would... Not want to kill the bogeyman. So, partly shock, partly scrabbling for justification for what Shikako just did, partly trusting Shikako has a damn good reason. Partly because the thought of Itachi not getting what he wanted and not knowing T&I think torture is inefficient... Yeah.
> 
> P.S. The rapid updates is to catch up with the FF.net version. :)

It was late. Team 10 had gone ahead; Shikamaru and Ino sending looks their way as they did so. They could tell something was up. However, the mission was complete and even if Team 7 were willing to be late, Kurenai was due soon. It was as good an excuse as any and so they were as alone as they were going to get. He stopped and turned to Shikako. She closed her eyes, dropping to the ground and concentrating heavily. Then she nodded and looking a little sick moved off the side of the trail and slumped to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees. Kakashi and Naruto set up camp around her carefully, while Sasuke grabbed enough wood for a small fire. Whatever Shikako needed to say, it was bad. He doubted they'd be moving on any time soon.

Two minutes later, after the kettle was settled on the fire, Sasuke sat down next to his friend and waited. Naruto and Kakashi moved closer too.

"What I am about to say is highly classified. I... I can't tell you how I know. Just that, if I don't... I don't tell you then I don't think anyone else will. Or can. And... You need to know. You needed to know before..."

She trailed off and Sasuke fought the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake whatever it was out of her. Instead, he leaned forward slightly and met his gaze with hers. "Tell me."

She swallowed, and focused on her fingers. They were twisting in her lap, the spots where her finger tips were obviously pale. He half-wanted to tell her to stop, but then she began talking and Sasuke felt his world shatter again. She told of how there was growing tension after the Kyuubi attack, how the Uchiha were suspected of treason. How this led to restrictions on them, restrictions supported by the Konoha elders - Homura, Koharu, Danzo. How the Uchiha had begun to plot, had intended to overthrow the Hokage and his Council. How Suishi had committed suicide after Danzo stole his eye. What exactly that eye could do. How Danzo, not believing a peaceful solution could be found, threatened to kill him, Itachi's most precious person if he didn't... He didn't...

"Danzo ordered my clan's massacre. My clan were traitors. Itachi..." He felt sick.

She winced, not looking up, not meeting his eyes. Her fear of his reaction was written in every line of her body. Naruto was shaking his head, his face pale. He didn't say anything though. This was... This wasn't...

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably. "You're sure, Shikako?"

She nodded miserably and all the little comments over the years, the looks and warnings clicked together to form an ugly picture. He tried to speak but he couldn't get anything past the lump in his throat. He tried again. "Shikako... How long have you known?"

She flinched again. "From before the massacre. I... I couldn't have said anything. I wanted to! I wanted to do something but I-"

"You couldn't have done anything." There was something cold and angry in Kakashi's voice as he looked at Shikako. He patted her shoulder awkwardly and turned the full weight of his gaze on Sasuke. "I... can confirm the Uchiha were under surveillance. That there was tension between them and the village... But I would never have suspected..."

Naruto was still shaking his head, still pale. "That's... That's horrible. Hokage-jiji..."

"It would have been civil war if this got out. Might still be. Have you told anyone else?"

"No, but... Sasuke needed to know. Because... others know. Like Orochimaru. They'd have twisted the truth, and... I wanted you to know, before-" She cut herself off and wrapped her arms around her legs again.

Before he did something irreparable. Before he killed the brother that loved him - that had given everything to Konoha. Still. "I don't... That doesn't mean I can forgive him for everything he's done. He hurt you. He was helping those who wanted X to kill Naruto."

She stilled, looking up at him with confused watery eyes. "Sasuke?"

"You were right. There's questions to be answered. And I want Danzo to pay." He paused. "But I don't forgive him for hurting my team either. Tsuande can sort him out."

Kakashi nodded, sending him an approving look. "We'll speak to her when we get back. How secure is Itachi now?"

Shikako swiped an arm over her eyes. "I... invented a stasis seal. It, it takes time to prepare but it can be used to hold living things for up to a week. I tested it on some of the animals in the forest of death. Naruto's toad will keep the scroll safe."

"Yeah... Hey, Shikako... I know you won't tell us how you knew... But Tsuande-obaasan is going to ask..."

Shikako curled herself tighter. "I can't... Not yet... Please."

Sasuke frowned. That implied Shikako knew more things. More of Konoha's dirty secrets. That she was mixed up in something dangerous. And she was terrified. Sasuke knew his team. He knew their quirks and habits (OK, he didn't know all of Kakashi's yet but he was sure he would one day) and he knew that when Shikako was scared, she hid her chakra, pulled it inward so that no one could sense her, no one could find her. She fiddled with her crystal pendant too, treating it more like a talisman than a reminder to be careful. Right now she was doing both.

Their sensei sighed, stretching his legs towards the fire and carefully not looking at any of them. "Shikako. Is the source of this knowledge a threat to Konoha?"

"...No?"

"Is it a threat to you?"

"...only if people found out."

Kakashi nodded seriously, staring into the fire. "Is there anything else that we need to know now regarding Itachi's situation?"

She winced. "... No?"

Yeah right. There was more going on and Shikako knew it. She really was a terrible liar once you started asking the right questions. But... She really wasn't looking too good. It would be better to question Itachi.

"Have you told anyone else?"

"Not... No. No I haven't."

Sasuke kept himself still. Next to him, Naruto was holding his breath. Finally Kakashi nodded. "I'll brief Tsunade. If asked, the three of you know nothing of this. Leave everything to me."

Naruto frowned. "What do we do if Tsunade-obaasan asks?"

"Nothing."

Shikako blinked. "Nothing?"

"Nothing. There is a protocol for if Konoha is compromised. I will be invoking that, if you're right then we are more than justified. You don't say anything without my permission to anyone that has not been explicitly cleared. If I am compromised, the two of you will follow Shikako's lead, same precautions. Agreed?"

"Sure."

"Hn."

Shikako was gaping at them now, her eyes flickering between them. "That's it?"

"For now, yes. Shikako, if there is anything else you think I need to know, anything at all. I expect you to come find me."

"Yes Sensei."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto, taking in the colour that was gradually seeping back into his cheeks. He had to admit that the fact that Kakashi had a plan helped. He felt... wrung out. Tired. And underneath was a burning anger. He just didn't know who he was most angry at. Itachi? The Elders? His clan? He was pretty sure he wasn't angry at Shikako. She had been a child then, and with the threat being Danzo it wasn't like she could have told him sooner, not when they had recently both been confined to the village. The rest though...

"I want first watch."

He needed to think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Way to make people suspicious Shikako. :P So, some told, to her team. Team not family because Itachi / Sasuke thing. And yeah, Kakashi isn't demanding how and where because Shikako is clearly terrified and he's got a major concern with Danzo to bug him. He'll be patient. For now. Similar story with the boys.
> 
> Kakashi up next.


End file.
